Footprints of Sourin Otomo (No.5)
About the time that Francisco Xavier dicided to return to India, much to one's sorrow,
Yoshitaka Ouchi, Sourin's uncle, fled from the castle in a coup, and died.
The Ouchi family,
who had been in the ascendant, was overthrown in an instant. Realizing the uncertainty of
life of man, Sourin went to see Xavier again. Unlike the last time when
Sourin met as a
sovereign of the country, this time he met Xavier yearning to listen to his teachings.
Sourin poured out his fear of death. Xavier answered Sourin that if a man
repent his sin,
the Lord would gently receive him no matter what sin he commit. He also told that sin is not
loving God and people, and that Christ gave His life for all human beings.
But Sourin shook his
head saying being a supreme ruler was in conflict with being a Christian.
Xavier pressed Sourin
saying which is more valuable, and they talked until dark .
After Xavier left for India, Sourin was looking forward to seeing Xavier
returning to Japan.
However Xavier had never set foot on Japan again.
Then Harufusa, Sourin's younger brother, was taken in as the leader of
the Ouchi family
by the Sue family. However army of Mouri attacked and killed Harufusa. After Sourin was
appointed to serve as Kyushutandai, Motonari Mouri came to invade his country, and they
battled back and forth. Sourin's wife, Yano, remonstrated with Sourin, saying that it happened
because he protected Christianity. Then Sourin shaved his head and became
a Buddhist priest
as if he were to raise the morale of the soldiers.
While the Mouri family and the Otomo family were fighting each other, the Ouchi family showed
signs of recovering by Sourin's plot. Then Mouri retreated from Kyushu
to stop it.
Though Sourin learned Zen, he couldn't get a sense of peace from it. Gradually
he began to
be interested in Christianity again.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.”
(Matthew 5:6)
(The Kyoto Glory Church Translation Committee is responsible for the wording
of this article.)